Blown Away
by Lethal Temptress
Summary: When a new poison strikes Konoha Sakura makes it her personal mission to find a cure. However she encounters someone most unexpected in the Land of Wind. Will she stay on task or will she be blown away by the winds of change?
1. One of Their Own

Reaching for the kunai she kept hanging next to her loofah Sakura slowly pulled back the shower curtain. She kept the water running so whoever was breaking into her apartment wouldn't know she'd already sensed them. Forgoing a towel, for it would inevitably get in the way, she stealth-ed towards the bathroom door. Before she could even reach the knob there came the standard coded emergency knock used by most Konoha ANBU. Still gripping the kunai, just in case, she opened the door without hesitance.

There stood an ANBU nin wearing a jackal mask. " Code crimson. Tsunade-sama demands your presence at the hospital immediately."

"Acknowledged." Sakura responded just before the nin burst into shadows. She set down the kunai in favor for a towel and turned off her shower. It only took her five minutes to dress and armor herself properly before she was leaping across rooftops towards her destination.

Upon her arrival the front desk med nin directed her towards the ICU wing where Tsunade-sama and Shizune-senpai where apparently waiting for her. Anxiety twisted in her gut when she saw two ANBU stationed outside the doors. Recognizing her identity they both nodded for her clearance to enter.

Standing next to a bed ridden nin a haggard looking Shizune and frustrated Tsunade turned at Sakura's entrance.

"Ah, Sakura, come closer. We need your take on something." Shizune indicated the nin she was healing. Tsunade's frown deepened with worry as she made room for her apprentice to observe the comatose patient. Sakura's anxiety ratcheted higher at her silence. Things where never good when Tsunade-sama let Shizune do all the talking.

Looking closely she noted no outer wounds or bandages which meant all the damage was internal. As Sakura summoned her chakra for a closer look Shizune grabbed a nearby chart and began to read off his stats.

"ANBU Male, Age 26, Six foot two, Blood Type AB, no known Kekkei Genkai or genetic flaws. Patient was brought in by teammates Hawk and Jackal at 22 hundred hours with miniscule brain activity. Upon initial inspection by a standard med nin the cause of injury was documented as poison via inhalation. Patient was administered two doses of A16 and put under close watch. At 24 hundred hours patient experienced two consecutive seizures rating a level 8. As preordained by hospital protocol anything over a level 5 requires two senior medics on site. Therefore both Tsunade-sama and I were notified immediately." she finished.

"I sense a very faint concentration of foreign chakra near the mid and lower alveoli in both the right and left lung." Sakura stated, quite puzzled.

"I told you I wasn't imagining it Shizune." Tsunade scolded with arms crossed. "And you thought I was losing my touch." she grumped under her breath.

"I never said such a thing Tsunade-sama! I simply couldn't sense what you where talking about!" Shizune protested even though she _had _given her Hokage some disbelieving looks. But really, who could blame her? Tsunade had been heavily alcohol induced prior to her arrival at the ICU.

"The chakra is mixed with a complex poison and has quickly spread from the alveolar sac to each individual alveoli. When I first examined him there where only minute traces in the lower lobes." Tsunade informed them. "Now it's spread to both mid and lower lobes and seems to be converting at a much higher rate. I have little doubt it will continue until both lungs are completely overtaken by whatever this is. Essentially, once this process has completed, this nin's lungs will be transformed into a biological weapon. Meaning oxygen goes in, poisonous gas comes out." Here Tsunade stopped to duck her head, close her eyes, and pinch the bridge of her nose in dismay.

"...which means...we either end his life _before_ that happens or everyone will be in danger of contamination." Shizune whispered with horrified revelation. "There's no way we can guarantee a total quarantine of a respiratory poison transmuted by gas."

Finally withdrawing her chakra and looking up Sakura witnessed her shishou nodding gravely. "But...wait! Can't we just remove the poison by flushing the entire lung with our chakra?" she suggested.

Shizune looked at Tsunade with momentary hope, which was dashed when she saw her Hokage shake her head.

"Perhaps if we had realized earlier what this was. Now the conversion is occurring at too fast of a rate. By the time we clear one bronchi two more will have already been infected. If we rush to keep up with the poison we risk missing or even chakra burning an area. Not only that, but the foreign chakra is set to defend against anyone else's chakra interference." Tsunade said.

Sakura took one defeated step backwards. "So...what you're saying is...is that there's _nothing_ we can do except prevent an epidemic by ceasing his breathing altogether."

"As Hokage and protector of this village I _must_ do what is best for the people. Unfortunately we are too late to save his life. However his death will not be in vain. I'm ordering as many medical staff members as possible on analytical and research detail. Even Shizune and I will not stop examining every piece of evidence until a cure is found."

Sakura looked from the pale man laying on the bed to her senpai and shishou. When she saw two identical grim but determined expressions she sighed in grief.

"Sakura...I'm sorry. I know you take each loss as personally as we do...but this sacrifice is necessary." Shizune whispered as they both watched Tsunade near the bed.

The Hokage leaned over her loyal soldier, hands glowing with enough chakra to deal a swift and painless death. Out of respect no one acknowledged the choked sob that came from one of the ANBU'S teammates standing guard. They had, without a doubt, heard every word. Sakura turned her back, unable to watch the final blow. She had witnessed so many natural deaths, even caused several of her enemies herself, but taking the life of your own was heartbreakingly rare.

"Thank you. Your sacrifice will be honored. You will never be forgotten." Tsunade said as she wrapped her hand around the nin's neck and severed all brain and body functions. One of their own was dead, but she would make sure there was no rest until the one accountable was brought to justice.

This was the exact moment Sakura swore she would fix this, even if it was the last thing she'd do.


	2. Political Responsibilities

Two weeks had passed since the new poison arrived in Konoha. Since then Sakura had barely left the hospital between lab shifts. Instead she chose to rest in the corner of her office where she'd set up a small bed roll. She'd get visitors occasionally, usually a concerned nurse with some cafeteria food so Sakura wouldn't unintentionally starve. Her grueling hours bent over her research had paid off, though not as much as she would have liked.

Gathering her files Sakura stood for a quick stretch before heading over to Tsunade's office for her 6 o'clock updates. Knocking politely before entering she wasn't surprised to see Shizune and Tsunade already comparing results.

"In both specimen the seizures continue to escalate until the subject experiences major internal hemorrhaging. The blood itself is uncontaminated but if the lung is punctured and the pleural fluid is released into the surrounding organs they become poison producers as well." Shizune was saying.

"And if the blood stream is compromised?" Tsunade asked.

"Anything the contaminated blood feeds will convert. The heart will continue to function at an accelerated rate until it eventually collapses under extreme duress." Shizune answered, looking up to greet Sakura with a thin smile.

Tsunade turned to acknowledge her youngest apprentice with a grim nod. "What did you bring us?"

"Experiment P36 was a failure. As far as we can tell there is no chemical compound, either organic or synthesized, that can halt the duplication process. I've studied the cell growth extensively and it seems the foreign chakra gives the poison an almost sentient property. It chooses weaker structures first for a slow and subtle start. However, as soon as enough tissue has been allied to corrupt healthy tissue the growth rate accelerates exponentially." Sakura concluded.

"The victim first experiences sinus irritation and blurry vision. Then, based on factors such as oxygen levels and heart rate, a wet cough develops as the gas condensates into liquid form. Dizziness and major loss of depth perception occur once the brain functions are targeted. Between 15-30 minutes after contraction the body's natural defenses are fully disarmed. By then at least one third of the lung has been infected." Shizune added. "Loss of breath, dizziness and nausea follow until the victim eventually succumbs to a comatose state." she whispered.

Loss of consciousness...the exact state their ANBU had arrived in. Less than an hour after his run in with the deadly toxin he was dead. Such a precise and fast acting poison could have only been concocted by a master level med nin. Besides Tsunade, Shizune and herself Sakura could only think of a few others with the amount of skill and knowledge it would have taken.

Sasori, Zetsu, Orochimaru, Kabuto...

_I bet it was that psycho Kabuto. He'd probably jerk off to this kind of thing._

Sakura was awoken from her inner musing when a crumpled ball of paper hit her on the forehead.

"A summon. Of course, only if you've finished daydreaming Miss Haruno." came Tsunade's peeved voice.

"Ok ok! I was just compiling a mental list of suspects. There can't be that many med nin who could put together this complex of a poison." Sakura explained.

Tsunade just continued to stare at her apprentice with one eyebrow raised in expectation. Shizune coughed to cover her laugh. The silence became slightly awkward until Sakura broke eye contact to retrieve the ball of paper. Grumbling under her breath about her Shishou's bad mood she smoothed the piece of paper back into it's original shape. She blinked at the signature and crest at the bottom.

"Land of Wind? Why do they need one of our medics?" Sakura asked.

"As I said, it's a summon. I didn't see this until earlier today. Understandably, with all that's been going on, I'm a bit behind on my paperwork." Tsunade admitted.

Shizune coughed again and received a glare from the blonde. Who did Tsunade think she was fooling? Both her apprentices knew she was _always _behind on her paperwork. Usually because she'd passed out half way through from drinking too much sak_é._

Keeping one eye on Shizune, who had turned away to straiten a pile of books, Tsunade continued. "This arrived last week. It seems several of the shinobi of wind have died under an unknown poison. The described symptoms are almost identical to what we've studied here. Unfortunately they do not have as strong of a medic system as we do so I doubt they've figured out that the poison is being spread respiratorily. People are basically dropping dead in the street. The villagers are all panicking and the daimyō has responded by locking himself in his castle. This is an official "aid" summon for one of our top medics. He requested either Shizune or myself, but of course I can not leave the village at such a time and Shizune can not be spared either. However if we do not send someone soon we risk our alliance with the Land of Wind. That's why I'm sending you."

"Me?! I've never been on a solo mission before, are you sure?" Sakura asked with equal amounts of trepidation and pride. Her very first solo mission! Konoha had always invested in the lives of their shinobi by institutionalizing a strong team of four. Only the elite of ANBU and a few Jōnin-by-choice where trusted with solo missions.

"Are you unwilling?"

"NO!"

"Are you so unsure of my teaching? Of your capabilities?"

"O-of course not!"

"And you trust my judgment?"

"Absolutely!"

"Then you'd better start packing girl. It's about time I sent you on such a mission. You can't be the Hokage's apprentice without taking on some political responsibilities. You'll be gone for two weeks and I expect regular reports." Tsunade ordered, before waving her hand in dismissal.

"Understood." Sakura said with a quick bow before making her exit. She'd make her shishou proud.


	3. Gas Mask

"B-b-but! But whyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy?!" Naruto whined as he followed on Sakura's heels.

"Because people are dying Naruto. I have to share my research with them and stop the infections. They are our ally. I'm sure they would do the same for us." Sakura reasoned as she strode towards her dresser, Naruto two steps behind. She picked out three mission appropriate shirts and two extra chest bindings before returning to her bed where her pack was laid out.

"Yeah, but I don't get why you have to go alone. I could come too! Or Kakashi sensei!...Anyone!" Naruto pouted.

"Why would you need to come? You don't have any medical knowledge or healing skills. You'd also be in danger of getting poisoned. Then I'd just have to heal you too." Sakura pointed out as she turned to stare him down with her hands on her hips.

"You shouldn't go alone." Naruto demanded with his, very rare, serious face on.

"Shouldn't or couldn't?" Sakura challenged, just as livid.

They continued their very childish staring match until Naruto crossed his arms and made a loud grumbling noise. "I'd just feel better if you had someone with you. Wind shares a boarder with Amegakure. Those Akatsuki bastards could get you!"

"And out of the two of us, which one has actually taken down an Akatsuki?"

"Thats not fair Sakura-chaaaaaaan!" Naruto drawled right before he flopped dramatically onto her bed.

"What's not fair is how you still don't trust in me. No matter how many times I've proved to you that I can handle my own battles. I don't need a babysitter or bodyguard, understand?" she pressed.

"Ok ok ok! But I'll be pestering Granny everyday about your reports so I know you're ok."

"Don't you dare! If you make a nuisance of yourself more than usual she won't send me on another solo mission ever again!"

"That's the point!" Naruto exclaimed as he laughed and ducked her fist swipe. "And what do you mean 'more than usual' ?" he teased.

Sakura turned away to hide the proud smirk at how he'd dodged her. "I'll be fine Naruto. Stop being such a worry wort. You'll get gray hairs. Then I probably won't be able to tell you and Kakashi sensei apart."

Naruto laughed so hard he rolled off the bed and continued to flail around on the floor. Sakura's smirk grew into a full fledged smile at his antics.

"What a hurtful thing to say! My hair is a _distinguished silver_ and I'm obviously the handsome one." came a playfully offended voice.

"OY!"

"Hi sensei." Sakura greeted their team leader who was now lounging in her open window. He looked as if he'd been there all day but she knew he'd only arrived to hear her last comment.

"Yo." he said, giving her his signature eye crease/smile from over his orange icha icha book. "Mission?" he asked.

"Yup. I'll be gone for two whole weeks and I expect Konoha to still be here when I get back. So no funny stuff you guys!" she teased.

Naruto leapt up from the floor and trapped Sakura in one of his rib crushing bear hugs. "It'll still be here for you Sakura chan! And we'll be waiting for you too!"

"Unless we're sent on a mission." Kakashi corrected.

"Uh...yeah. There's that." Naruto sheepishly added.

"Don't worry, I'll be in touch with Tsunade sama regularly. I'll be back before you know it." she reassured them.

She hadn't known then how wrong she'd be.

(o)(o)(o) (_Later_) (o)(o)(o)

Sakura observed how the trees began to grow farther and farther apart until she had to land and continue her journey on foot. The Land of Wind was nothing like the Land of Fire. Instead of cool, lush forests, Wind was all wide open spaces and scorching sun.

In this domain the mighty wind really did rule all. Several times she'd been literally swept off her feet and thrown back. Because of her petite nature she had to resort to carrying several rocks to weigh herself down a little more.

She'd also not anticipated how _quiet _it would be. With a teammate like Naruto around and her hectic profession Sakura didn't get to experience solitude very often. She found out she was slightly unnerved with the extended silence. She'd even resorted to humming softly just to fill the silence and ease her anxiety. Despite these minor setbacks Sakura was nearing the end of her journey. She could even see the outline of the village on the horizon.

At the gate she was greeted by two gas mask wearing ninja who checked her identification before quickly admitting her to the village. They made polite conversation with her as they led her to the daimyō's castle. As they neared the castle the crowd began to thicken and become more unruly. At last they reached the building to find a mob of desperate villagers pounding on the walls and doors. The were all demanding that their leader come out and tell them exactly how he was planning on saving them.

With quite a bit of jostling and angry shouting the three nin where able to enter the castle where it was much less crowded. Inside the "safety" of his home the daimyō had apparently ordered everyone, including the staff, to wear a gas mask. Sakura took her's graciously and put it on to humor her hosts even though she knew it would do nothing to protect her. The only thing that had been effective against the poison was an early detection and purging of the lungs before too many cells were infected. Squaring her shoulders Sakura prepared for the worst and followed the nin towards their leader. Hopefully, despite her looks, she would be able to convince the daimyō she knew what she was doing.


	4. Already too Late

"_This_ is the best they could send me?!" The wind daimyō exclaimed. "A little girl with pink hair? I sent for a master medic!"

Sakura grit her teeth. "With all due respect your lordship...Tsunade _shishou_ wouldn't have sent me if she wasn't certain I could help you."

"So you're her younger apprentice are you? We'll just have to see how you do. Let's not waste any time, come see for yourself how my people are dying."

She was taken on a short tour to the infirmary where several victims, both young and old, struggled to breath. A mother cried over the still form of a toddler, stopping only momentarily to cough blood into a crumpled tissue. There weren't enough beds so several people where huddled together on bed rolls or blankets spread across the floor.

The morgue was even worse. All the chilling units where occupied so bodies had to be stacked on gurneys, autopsy tables and even wrapped up in tarps on the floor. Sakura was horrified at how poor the medical care was and how many lives had been lost.

"I must speak with your medical staff immediately. There are several things they can start doing right away which should decrease the number of infections." Sakura said. "Please have them gathered for a meeting and I will share all that I know on the matter."

That was how she found herself at the front of a conference room, lecturing a few dozen amateur medics on how the toxic gas was spread, what the early symptoms entailed, and how they could stop others from being poisoned. She could tell from the questions they asked that these where not skilled healers in the least. Most where her age or younger, with little experience and questionable chakra control. The news that they would have to snuff the lives of their own comrades and the villagers who trusted them was met with anger and refusal."

"We're medic nin! We don't take lives, we save them!" one young man protested.

"And for every life you let linger, hoping to 'cure' them, more people will become infected and die. By stopping the reproduction of the poison in the current victim's lungs you decrease the amount of poisonous gas entering the air supply." Sakura argued.

"You're talking genocide!" another shouted.

"I'm talking survival! Konoha's top medics, including the Hokage herself, have been trying to find an antidote for _weeks _now. The harsh reality is that there isn't one! The only way to stop others from being poisoned is to remove all the carriers so the remaining can survive!"

Angry shouting erupted and Sakura had to be escorted from the room by a team of ANBU. Later that, night in her guest room, she composed a frustrated letter to her shishou. She included an estimated number of dead and how the med nin had reacted to the news that there was no antidote, only the unsavory method of prevention via a mass purge of the sickly. Sakura wasn't untouched at how gruesome the loss would be, but she was unable to offer them any other advice, at least, not without a cure.

"There_ has_ to be something I've overlooked." she muttered, flipping through her notes. She just couldn't believe that a poison mixed primarily of plant materials didn't have an equal and opposite equivalence. Sighing she looked at the clock. It was 3am, time to call it quits for the time being. She was going to take a hot bath and crawl into bed

The adjoined bathroom was large and lavish, meant to impress a visiting noble. Being a ninja rarely allowed Sakura to indulge her girly desires, but seeing the large tub and fully stocked shelf of fragranced washes sent her inner squealing. After complaining about the dry harshness of the standard unscented soap most ninja used Shizune had finally taught her a masking technique that rivaled Tsunade's age henge. From then on she was able to wear whatever fragrance she wanted without worrying about enemy ninja picking up on her scent during a mission. Even Kiba, with his enhanced Inuzuka sense of smell, marveled at how he was completely unable to smell her even if he leaned in closely. Ino had been so jealous that she'd refused to talk to her for a whole month until Sakura finally grew tired of poking the pig and shared her technique.

Deciding she'd rather smell like vanilla and lilacs over honey and orchids, Sakura filled the tub with steaming water and eagerly climbed in. Just as she started to relax and mentally unwind there came a urgent knock at the door.

"Fuckin' figures..." Sakura muttered as she wrapped herself in a short silk robe. If it was an enemy maybe her state of undress would buy her a few seconds of distraction so she could punch their lights out. "What is it?" She asked, pissed and dripping, ripping open the door.

"Her Ladyship has fallen ill! The daimyō has summoned you to heal her! Please follow me immediately!" a female servant gushed, grabbing hold of Sakura's wrist. "Please come! We must hurry!"

"But I'm not dressed!" Sakura protested, trying to keep up with the panicked woman without slipping on wet marble. The thought of dashing half naked across an entire castle, most likely flashing everyone they passed, was horrifying. However explaining to her shishou that she'd let the wife of the daimyō die over a small matter of modesty was even more terrifying.

In a matter of minutes they where standing in front of the daimyō's personal chambers, the stationed ANBU very briefly glanced Sakura up and down. She could tell they where judging her attire, but she was here to save a life, not to impress anyone with her sense of fashion. At last the servant was dismissed and only she was allowed to enter.

"Daimyō sama?" she asked hesitantly as she neared the bed. He was knelt over his wife's body, holding her hand with a white knuckled grip. His wife was a traditional beauty, with a slender body, pale skin and lustrously long dark hair. The only sign that she was still alive was the soft rasping noise of her labored breathing and the slow rise and fall of her chest.

"Please save her." the daimyō begged. "Please don't let my darling die." he looked at her with raw desperation, his eyes haunted with fear that he might lose a loved one.

Sakura felt a ball of cold dread drop to her stomach because she knew that unconsciousness was a sign that it was already too late.


	5. One Good Thing

Sakura couldn't believe the wind daimyō's wife was still alive. The poor woman's lungs where completely infected and she was already exhaling poisonous gas in miniscule, but steadily increasing, increments.

"Can you save her?" The daimyō asked as he returned from his closets. In his hand was a towel and a casual yukata.

"I'm sorry, I can't. She's already too far gone. Also, if she continues to breath for much longer the amount of poison she exhales will keep increasing until both you and I are in danger." Sakura removed her chakra healing hands from the woman's body to take the towel and dry her hair.

"What do you mean, 'if she continues to breath'?" the daimyō asks as he set the yukata on the bed. He looked down at his wife's peaceful form, wishing she'd just wake up already.

"This poison corrupts the lungs of it's victims. It uses their body as part of a reproduction cycle. First it takes over the lungs and then it uses them to release more poison gas, thus starting the cycle over. If you inhale enough gas you'll end up just like her." Sakura explained. She hung the towel on the back of a nearby chair and grabbed the yukata. She could tell by the length and fabric quality that it belonged to the daimyō's wife. Even though it was a "casual" yukata the delicate red and gold koi pattern swirled from the bottom up, creating an ethereal look.

_This probably costs an entire B mission pay scroll. _Sakura thought as she slipped into the soft fabric. It was at least six inches too long but she only needed it for warmth and modesty.

"So what exactly are you saying?" the daimyō pressed. He didn't seem to understand what Sakura was trying to tell him. Or perhaps he just wasn't ready to accept it.

"I'm saying that in order to protect you I'll have to stop her breathing." Sakura said, looking the daimyō in the eye. She saw shock, then hurt...then anger.

"WHAT?! How dare you!You're supposed to be a medic! How can you talk about murdering my wife?!"

"Your Lordship...I'm sorry but she's going to die either way. She has, at the most, an hour left. During that time she'll only suffer. I can end her pain now by putting her to rest. I'm sorry but that's all I can do."

"You won't lay a hand on her! I'll call another medic if I have to!"

"You'll only doom that medic to die as well. I've told you there really isn't any other way."

"No! You're lying! Get out! GET OUT NOW!"

Sakura chose to exit via the balcony only because he was standing between her and the door. It had nothing to do with the vase the daimyō picked up and amateurishly threw at her. Really? She didn't even have to dodge.

Out on the balcony she was thankful for the warm yukata because the night was rather chilly. As she looked over the railing at the silent city below Sakura heard the door open. The daimyō was exchanging words with the ANBU guards so she expected them to come and escort her back to her room. However she heard the doors close again and then after a while an almost inaudible weeping man. Wanting to give him some measure of privacy she moved farther along the large balcony until even her ninja hearing couldn't pick up on the grieving daimyō.

A breeze passed, sweeping her rose locks into the air. She contemplated how unpredictable life was. The daimyō's wife, not likely to encounter much danger, should have lived a long and happy life. Her, on the other hand, well...most ninja didn't live long enough to retire. Chances where more likely that they would be cut down during battle or taken out by an assassin. Yet here she was, living and breathing, while a woman who'd taken fewer risks was dying. It just goes to show you that no one really knows when, where or why their time will come.

She heard a soft scuff of slipper on stone and turned to see the daimyō approaching. He stopped three feet away, eyes downcast, and spoke softly.

"On my desk is a scroll signed by me. Add to it as you wish. Do what you have to and save the rest of my people. I can not afford to lose any more than I already have."

Sakura reached towards the daimyō, wanting to lay a hand on the man's shoulder in silent understanding. As her hand touched his robe in the briefest moment he flinched away.

"She's waiting for you. Do it quickly before I lose my resolve and change my mind." he said.

Sakura nodded and brushed past him into the bedroom once more. She approached the bed and laid a soothing hand at the base of the woman's neck. In mere seconds her suffering was over, pale features resting in eternal peace.

Looking over towards the desk she spotted the aforementioned scroll. Picking it up she made her way towards the doors. Unsurprisingly they where not guarded. The daimyō had probably sent his nin away so they wouldn't pick up on his moment of weakness. After all, appearances meant a lot to people who led entire villages.

She took her time when making her way back to her quarters. She encountered no one, for which she was grateful. Mind spinning with what she would write on the scroll she realized that her autopilot wandering had led her strait to the medical reception desk.

"Well, I might as well do it now..." she said to herself. Grabbing a pen she wrote down the mandatory procedures she had listed in her head, making sure to phrase them as clearly and professionally as possible so there would be no confusion as to what was to be done. Finishing up her work she replaced the pen, rolled the scroll back up, and dropped it into the 'intake' mail box.

_At least one good thing had resulted tonight. _Sakura thought as she approached her guest room. Without bothering to change into any proper night clothes she plopped face down onto her bed and was asleep in the next five minutes. Tomorrow would be one hell of a day.


End file.
